Chad has announced it will send soldiers to help the neighboring Central African Republic fight advancing rebels. Armed resistance groups there have taken control of three towns in the eastern part of the country.
Officials in the Central African Republic capital Bangui for several weeks called on foreign forces to help the government regain control of the country's northeast.
Rebel groups disgruntled with current President Francois Bozize first took control of the city of Birao several weeks ago.
Adrien Feniou, an analyst with London-based Global Insight, says a new shipment of Chadian troops will add to a multinational force in place under the auspices of the Economic Community of Central African states.
"Chad already has soldiers in the Central African Republic, a few hundred troops stationed in Bria, the town the rebels are marching to right now. So it is likely that they would engage the rebels there in the coming days," he said.
Feniou says Chad has a particular interest in northeastern C.A.R. because it is believed the area is a staging area for rebel groups in its own country.
Chadian and Central African leaders have accused Sudan of supporting rebel movements in their respective countries, charges officials in Khartoum have categorically denied.
Earlier this week Chad declared a state of emergency after violence in the eastern part of the country killed hundreds.
Many analysts say the conflict in Sudan's western Darfur region is destabilizing much of the region.
Officials with the United Nations say Sudan has accepted in principle to allow a joint U.N. and African Union force in Darfur. But details of that agreement have yet to be agreed upon.